One thing you can count on me for is a festive cocktail. And that’s where this Pecan Pie Vodka comes in.

I love planning for a cocktail I know the whole crew will love, but that is also special and unique. And of course, it’s got to match the season we’re in.

What can I say. That’s just who I am.

You guys. It is so dang delicious.

Nutty, and sweet, and everything you love about pecan pie. Without the stickyness. Which is kind of important in a cocktail.

You can use it to make an epic version of a White Russian. Or add it to your post-dinner coffee. The possibilities are endless.

I use Everclear® to make this infusion, because it provides a completely neutral profile. It’ll take on any of the flavors you want to infuse it with. I even used it to make Mulling Spiced Vodka a few months ago.

You’ve got to start with toasted (or roasted) pecans, because doing that will bring out their flavors in the final product.

This is kind of a rule for life. If you’re baking or cooking with nuts, always make sure to toast them first.

Once the pecans are perfectly roasted (watch them closely – they go from toasted to burnt in a flash!) and fragrant, you’ll put them in a large mason jar with a large cinnamon stick and Everclear. Leave it to infuse for a full 24 hours.

After 24 hours, strain the vodka with a cheesecloth, or a fine mesh strainer. Then you’re going to mix simple syrup into the infusion, and you’re done!

I used brown sugar simple syrup for this Pecan Pie Vodka, which provides a more complex, sweeter flavor than regular granulated sugar would.

Put it all in a capped bottle. Add a festive tag, and it makes a fantastic gift for your favorite vodka drinkers.

When my guests arrive this Thanksgiving, I’ll be serving up Pecan Pie White Russians and topping off after dinner coffees with a splash of Pecan Pie Vodka. I know it’ll be a hit at my party, and yours too.

You can infuse Everclear® with any kind of spice and flavor. I’d love to see what you do with it. What flavors are you inspired to make?

Pecan Pie Vodka

Yield: 24 ounces

Additional Time: 1 days10 minutes

Total Time: 1 days10 minutes

Pecan Pie Vodka is sweet, nutty, and everything you’d want a drink like this to be. It’s the perfect addition to any of your favorite vodka cocktails.

Ingredients

1 cup pecans

1 cinnamon stick

10 ounces Everclear

10 ounces filtered water

4 ounces 1:1 simple syrup (I used brown sugar simple syrup)

Instructions

Place pecans in a small skillet and set over low/medium heat. Toast, stirring frequently, until pecans are fragrant but not burnt. Allow pecans to cool completely.

Place toasted pecans and the cinnamon stick in a sterile quart size mason jar. Add Everclear and filtered water. Place on the lid and allow mixture to infuse 24 hours.

Strain out solids using a mesh strainer lined with a paper towel, coffee filter, or cheese cloth. Mix simple syrup into infusion and pour into capped bottle.

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Seriously amazing. This is so creative and I am definitely making a batch for gifts!

And the best part – it’s so easy! Thanks for visiting, Milisa!
-Jamie

I am personally not a drinker but I have to make this for gifts! I am not familiar with Everclear…. can’t I just start with a good quality Vodka and then infuse it per recipe? What is the advantage of Everclear?

Sounds perfect, Carol! Happy Holidays to you and yours!
-Jamie

This sounds fabulous! But can the pecans be used for anything else afterwards?

I just made this recipe, and the pecans were too yummy (and expensive) to throw out. I threw them on a pan with butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, vanilla, and cayenne and roasted them for another 30 minutes at 350°. And they are delicious, and I’m calling them “Drunken Pecans.”.

Dana-
Great idea!! Now I need to whip some up! Happy Holidays to you and yours!
-Jamie

I’ve made 10 sweet looking little bottles of this for gifts (with just enough left over to toss into a mason jar for DaddyMan) and would love to include a recipe for the white russian on the back of my tag (though I’m certainly calling it a Nutty Russian). I’m wondering what your plan for the cocktail would look like. Since you “cut” the vodka in half with water, do you add more Pecan Pie vodka, split the difference with “fully charged” vodka, or not tell anyone there’s less booze in their drink?

Hi Kate! The water is added to bring the proof down closer to vodka (Everclear is about 190 proof, vodka is about 80 proof). Thanks for stopping by!
-Jamie

If you use regular vodka instead of Everclear do you still use the water ? If the water is being used to dilute the Everclear to come down to a normal vodka proof then would that make sense ?? Other wise it would dilute an 80 proof vodka even more right ?